


Right-Hand Man

by Valkohai



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Betrayal, Dream SMP War, Dream Smp, Explicit Language, Friendship, Gaslighting, Gen, L'Manburg Elections, Manipulative Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Traitor Toby Smith | Tubbo, Tubbo Centric, Tubbo decides to work for Jschlatt, Underage Drinking, l'manburg, prepare for hurt, someone give Tubbo a hug, this is gonna hurt guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26743966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valkohai/pseuds/Valkohai
Summary: 'Things get worse before they get better' is a quote Tubbo knows all too well.
Relationships: Toby Smith | Tubbo & Jschlatt, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 228
Kudos: 867





	1. You're A Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo and Tommy spend some quality time together.

It has been six weeks ever since that fateful day. Six weeks since the course of L’Manburg’s history has been changed forever. Six weeks since newfound President Schlatt was elected into office. 

To say that Tubbo was shocked would be an understatement, he was completely stupefied. His confusion was only intensified when Schlatt called him up to the podium so casually, as if he had been a part of their scheme all along, only to be elected Secretary of State.

Tubbo could still remember the hurt and bewilderment in Tommy’s voice when he was called up to stand. 

_Tommy_.

Even thinking about his long-time companion made his heartache with pulses of pain like he never felt before. 

He had been banished, that Tommy. Exiled along with Wilbur Soot, the former president of L’Manburg. President Schlatt ordered the two to never step foot on L’Manburg’s grounds, and that the punishment for returning would be the death penalty. Tubbo didn’t even want to imagine what such a punishment would entail.

Despite their expulsion, Tubbo has devised a method of meeting up with the two revolutionists. Every week, the three would meet up under an old oak tree near a small river. It was a nice spot, really. It was just far enough from L’Manburg that it was out of Schlatt’s jurisdiction, but close enough to make it easy for them to converge.

Six weeks have gone by and they were now at the start of the seventh. It was almost time for Tubbo to meet up with his co-conspirators once more.

* * *

The walk to their special place was ever tedious, and the suit that Tubbo adorned did nothing to make the walk easier. 

It wasn’t as if the suit was too big or too tight. In fact, it fitted Tubbo’s small stature perfectly. It accented his waist and sharpened his shoulders. The short green tie that accompanied the outfit brought out his eyes. Made him look far more regal than the old uniform he previously wore. 

Tubbo had originally insisted to Schlatt that a new look wasn’t necessary, but the President was by no means deterred. He said that he wanted ‘Only the best for his right-hand man’. Tubbo had been forced to stand still for hours under Schlatt’s careful scrutiny as the man took measurements of his body. Just thinking about being under the man’s gaze made an unwanted shudder crawl down his back. 

Tubbo could recall the first time Tommy and Wilbur had seen his new outfit, and he thoroughly remembered how much he hated their pitying looks. 

The rich, green grass, dimmed in the soft moonlight, crunched under Tubbo’s patent leathers. The light gave his shoes a glossy shine. As he walked, the grass became rougher, coarser, over time, signaling to Tubbo that he was getting closer to his destination. 

In the distance, Tubbo spotted a familiar oak tree. It’s branches reached over the river like bark hands, hoping that it may touch the water’s surface one day. The leaves were thick and sprawled over the tree like a shawl, created what could almost be considered a roof. The roots dug like knives into the soft soil of the riverbank, creating a tangled mess of roots that grew above ground. Leaning up against the tree’s trunk was no other than Tommy Innit. 

The sight of his best friend brought a smile to his lips, as it always did whenever he saw him nowadays. The two weren’t yet used to being far apart so often. 

Tubbo brought his arm up and waved it around, speeding up his stride in an attempt to get Tommy’s attention. When Tommy had noticed his presence, he grinned boisterously. 

“Tommy!”

“Tubbo!”

Tommy ran from his spot from under the tree to where Tubbo was, his arms spread wide in an inevitable, unavoidable hug. By the time he reached Tubbo, he had nearly knocked him over with the momentum. 

“Tubbo, I missed you!” Tommy laughed, wrapping his arms around his middle, Tubbo mimicking his movements. 

“I missed you, too!” Said Tubbo, his smile never leaving his face. It wasn’t often that the boy got to smile anymore, not since the election. 

Tubbo, however, noticed something curious as he and Tommy parted from their hug. 

Wilbur wasn’t here. 

“Tommy…” Tubbo started, looking around the tree and river in an attempt to spot the older man. “Where is Wilbur, exactly?”

Confusion flickered across Tommy’s features for a brief second, but it was gone the moment it came. Instead, it was replaced with a look that was almost bashful. 

“I told Wilbur that I would take care of it this week. He needs some rest anyways.” 

Tommy brought a hand up to rub at the little hairs that sat at his nape. ‘ _ He’s nervous _ ’ Tubbo realized. 

“That, and it's been awhile since we hang out. Y’know, just good ol’ Tommy and Tubbo.” Tommy said, smiling anxiously. 

In reality, Tubbo didn’t know why Tommy was so nervous. He always adored getting to spend time with his best friend.

“I’m fine with that!” Tubbo exclaimed, walking towards the rooted river bank. He prodded around for a bit, searching for the best root to act as a temporary seat. After finding one that was satisfactory, he plopped down and patted a spot beside him, looking at Tommy expectantly. 

Wordlessly, Tommy took a seat beside Tubbo, taking special care to not get his uniform too dirty.

“Why don’t we tell each other what we’ve been doing recently? You can start!” Tubbo beamed, propping up his legs to sit criss-cross on the roots. The pose made him look ten years younger.

Tommy hunched forward a bit, a complentative look on his face. 

“I’m not going to lie, Tubbo, it’s been rough.” He began, staring intensely into the river’s glistening water, “Wilbur seems to be degrading everyday, falling more and more to his paranoid delusions. He’s convinced that the entire world is against him.” Tommy pauses briefly and looks at Tubbo sadly, “He barely trusts you, Tubbo. Thinks you’re some sort of triple agent.” 

Tubbo’s smile dimmed at the words. In hindsight, he should’ve expected it. He didn’t go with Tommy and Wilbur when he had the chance, after all. But had Tubbo not done enough to prove his loyalty to Wilbur’s cause?

Tommy must’ve noticed his smile falter, as we quickly attempted to cheer up his fellow compatriote. “Hey big man, just because Wilbur’s on edge doesn’t mean that nobody trusts you.  _ I  _ trust you! You’re my Tubbo; Tubbo in a box!” He jabbered, waving his hands around sporadically. 

Tubbo quickly regained his smile at his friend’s antics, laughing joyously. It didn’t quite diminish the hurt that the statement wrought forth, and Tubbo would most certainly be thinking about it later as he stared up at the ceiling within the privacy of his chambers, but it numbed it for the time being. 

Tommy smiled at Tubbo’s laugh and leaned back slightly on the root. “Well, I said my piece, it’s your turn now.” He said, looking at Tubbo patiently. 

Tubbo hummed. “I’m okay most days, I think. But sometimes I wish things could go back to the way they were before the war…” He said somberly, an inflection of sadness laced his voice. Tommy looked on sympathetically as he continued.

“But,  _ Schlatt _ , in the brief times I’ve spoken with him--” Tubbo cut himself off once he caught sight of Tommy’s expression. The boy winced at the mention of Schlatt, briefly glancing at Tubbo’s suit before quickly looking away.

Ah, there goes silly Tubbo, ruining the moment again. 

“My bad, Tubbo, natural reflex. You can continue.” Tommy said with a slight, barely noticeable shakiness to his voice. It was so noticeable, that most probably would’ve missed it, but Tubbo didn’t. Tubbo could read Tommy like the back of his hand and vice versa, they couldn’t hide anything from each other. At least not for long. 

“Hmm. No, no, it’s fine.  _ Really _ , it is, Tommy.” Tubbo chirped, smiling wide in Tommy’s direction. The action made Tommy narrow his eyes in doubt, but he didn’t push the other. 

The pair sat in silence for a while. Both boys had long since decided to lay down amongst the roots and soil, peacefully gazing up at the moon and stars that they could make out from underneath the tree’s canopy.

As Tubbo gazed up into the sky, he caught sight of a star. The star burnt brightly, easily out-doing the others scattered aimlessly around it. It reminded Tubbo of Tommy, in a way. He shines so brightly and stands out so easily against others. It’s no wonder why Wilbur had chosen him to be Vice President during his Presidency. 

Briefly, Tubbo wonders if he’ll get to be a star one day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you enjoyed the start of this little fic of mine! :D It was really fun to write the interactions with these two, even if they're a bit OOC. Keep in mind, it only gets worse from here. Heed the tags. If you're not bothered, then enjoy what comes next!
> 
> Reminder: This fic doesn't represent the real people. It's just the roles they play, don't go harassing anybody. It makes the whole thing not fun.


	2. In Nobody's Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo gets into some trouble.

The two boys would’ve sat under those glittering stars forever if they could. Just lying together peacefully amongst the roots, allowing themselves a brief moment of blissful ignorance. It made it slightly easier to ignore the situations they were both in, the responsibilities they had, and what would happen if they failed. 

It was the cry of a lark that broke the fragile tranquility of the air. 

Sighing, Tommy sat up and pushed himself off the ground, not even bothering to brush the dirt off his revolutionary attire. 

“The birds have begun to sing, Tubbo. Ought time for us to head back soon.” Tommy stated with abundant sorrow in his voice, as if he were sorry for leaving. 

Tubbo blinked owlishly, looking around the river’s bank as he did so. Searching for the fiendish birds that dare signal the sunrise, and draw Tommy away from him once more. 

“No, those aren’t larks, Tommy. They are nightingales. The night is still young, you don’t have to go yet…” Tubbo said, almost like it was the most casual thing in the world. Tubbo knew the various calls of many bird species very well, and he knew that Tommy wasn’t wrong, but he just wasn’t _ready_. He wasn’t _ready_ for Tommy to leave again, he wasn’t _ready_ to go back. Back to Schlatt and his administration. He wasn’t!

Tommy shook his head in response. “No, Tubbo, that is the cry of a lark. Morning is arriving soon, and we must part our separate ways--” He began.

“No, not yet--” Tubbo quivered. 

“I need to go back to Wilbur, and you need to go back to Schlatt.”

“Not yet, please--” His voice cracked, cutting himself off with a strangled, high keening noise. Tubbo felt a burning pressure build-up from behind his eyes. Tubbo, unwilling to have Tommy watch him cry, quickly hugged the other boy, burying his face into the other’s shoulder so he couldn’t see his face. Tubbo knew that he was an ugly crier, not to mention just how much it upset Tommy. 

Tommy returned the hug with gusto, squeezing the other boy’s waist before pulling away. Even so, he still kept a hand resting on Tubbo’s shoulder. A gesture of comfortable familiarity. The tears that threatened to spill from behind Tubbo’s eyes hadn’t quite started yet, but they would soon if Tommy didn’t do something about it. He could see the wet sheen that had swelled up.

“I know you don’t want to do this, Tubbo, but we need you. You’ve already done so much for Pogtopia, but we need to keep someone on the inside. You just need to keep up the act for a little longer. If not for Wilbur, then for me?” Tommy preached passionately. Perhaps it was selfish for Tommy to ask for such a request, knowing that Tubbo hated every second he had to sit at L’Manuburg. But at the same time, he knew all too well that Tubbo would do anything for Tommy. He would bring the world on a silver platter if he asked him to. 

Tubbo stared at Tommy wordlessly, unshed tears still lingering at the corners of his eyes. After a moment of thought, Tubbo nodded. 

“Just for a little longer...” Tubbo mumbled, echoing parts of Tommy’s previous statement in an empty tone. 

Tommy looked like he was about to say more, but he when interrupted by the piercing call of a lark. He looked up at the sky and could see warm, yellow light slowly rising from the east as the sky turned from black to a violet hue. The sun’s rays made the blue river water look pink. 

“The sun’s rising, it’s time for us to go,” Tommy announced soberly. He received nothing but a curt nod from Tubbo, who seemed to be staring off into nothing. 

The boy looked at Tubbo worryingly but said nothing as he turned around and started his trek back to Pogtopia’s headquarters. He simply didn’t have the time to question the behavior. Wilbur would be heavily troubled if he didn’t come back by sunrise, and he didn’t want to stress out the man even more.

Tubbo watched as Tommy grew smaller and smaller as he got further away. He continued watching the other until he was nothing but a blurry figure in the distance. One that disappeared into the thick underbrush of the forest. 

Once gone, Tubbo permitted himself to move again. He trod over to the river and leaned over to quickly look at his reflection. He had to make himself look presentable before he went back to L’Manburg.

His brunette locks must’ve had gotten tousled sometime during the night, as there were strands of hair that jutted out irregularly in some places, not to mention that it was a tangled mess. He could see specks of dirt that had gotten stuck in his hair from when he and Tommy were star-gazing, he quickly shook his head in an attempt to get it out. With most of the dirt gone, Tubbo wet his hands and began running his fingers through his hair attempting to style it. Schlatt didn’t like it whenever it was messy, said that it made him look ‘filthy’ and ‘plain’. Even though he told himself that Schlatt’s opinions don’t really matter in the long run, as Wilbur will be back in charge soon, some self-conscious part of him took the statements to heart. 

At least his suit was in significantly better shape than his hair, but not my that much. His white undershirt had small dirt streaks, and his tie had come undone. Thankfully, the black of his suit made whatever dirt that clung to it hard to see. 

Tubbo fixed his tie back into place and briefly attempted to get the dirt out of his undershirt, but with no avail. Schlatt would undoubtedly point it out later and demand he change, probably calling Tubbo some demeaning name as he did it. 

With a sigh, Tubbo started the walk back to L’Manburg. 

* * *

The sun was peaking over the horizon by the time Tubbo caught sight of L’Manburg. The morning dew that lingered on the grass had wet the bottoms of his trousers and sunk into his shoes, prompting goosebumps to litter his skin.

The walls of L’Manburg had been torn down, though there were still a few remnants in the form of soot-covered bricks around the borders. 

Tubbo approached one of these bricks silently and picked it up, admiring it in his hand. The ash stained his fingers and palm. Wilbur had crafted those walls so carefully, so lovingly, that Tubbo couldn’t help but feel awful for breaking them. Even if it was to keep up the illusion of loyalty to Schlatt. 

The thought of Schlatt made Tubbo wince. He had to get back before the sun’s rays woke everybody up. He had to--

“There’s my right-hand man!” 

The made Tubbo’s thoughts come to a screeching halt. The color drained from his cheeks, and he swore that he could feel himself shake as he turned to face L’Manburg’s president. 

Schlatt was pressed up against a large piece of L’Manburg’s old wall that had yet to be destroyed. He straightened himself when Tubbo looked at him, a wide grin across his face. Tubbo could see a gold-dipped canine sparkle amongst the man’s sharpened teeth. It glistened in the rising sun. The older man’s curved horns and suit gave him the visage of a devil. 

The man approached him languishingly. With no sense of personal space, the president verged until he was nearly chest-to-chest with the boy. Tubbo could smell tobacco on his breath. 

“I haven’t seen in awhile, Tubbo. Where have you been?” Schlatt asked, a synthetic sweetness in his voice.

“Uh…” Tubbo hated how much his voice quivered. “I-I’ve been around--”

Schlatt cut him off. “That was a test, Tubbo. I know very well where you’ve been. You’ve been frolicking with those rebels, haven’t you?” The sweetness was gone, instead, it was replaced with something much sinister. Cruel, even. 

“But don’t fret, Tubbo. I’m not mad. I’m more confused if anything. Come, we can go to my office and discuss what you find _so_ wrong about my leadership.” He continued, a purr in his speech, clasping his hands together as he spoke.

Tubbo just stared at Schlatt in silent consideration. Every part of him screamed that this was a trap, but what could he do? There’s no way he could run, Schlatt would cut him down in an instant. Maybe, if he played his cards right, he could walk away with his head still on his shoulders. 

“I’d be honored too, Mr. President” Tubbo replied with the same faux sweetness that Schlatt’s voice had not too long ago, but it had an air of caution that Schlatt lacked.

He gave no response, but he motioned for Tubbo to follow him as he turned around and began his stroll towards the White House. 

The pair passed by citizens as they walked. Some curtsied as they passed, others giving small bows. 

Eventually, the two made it to the White House, where Schlatt led the younger boy into his office. 

The office was elegant in its simplicity. There was a mahogany desk sat in the center with two chairs around it. One behind the desk and the other in front. Behind the desk were three wall-sized windows, each window rimmed with red curtains. 

Schlatt took a seat at the desk, gesturing for Tubbo to sit across from him. Once Tubbo sat down, he began speaking. 

“So, Tubbo. What are your issues with my presidency?” 

“Well, I-I think...Um…” He trailed off, desperately trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t offend Schlatt any further.

“Not talking, eh? Don’t worry, I have something that’ll help you open up a bit.” Schlatt said as he began rummaging through the drawers if his desk. After a few seconds, he emerged victoriously. He held an ornate glass in one hand and an expensive-looking liquor in the other. He put the glass in front of Tubbo and popped the cork off the alcohol, pouring the crimson liquid into the cup, filling it to the brim. It reminded Tubbo of blood.

“I-I can’t drink, Mr. President. I’m sixteen…” Tubbo stuttered. He knew it was unwise to deny something from Schlatt, but drinking was never something he’d ever see himself doing. Especially not with Schlatt. Besides, what if it was poisoned or something, that would be a horrible way to die. 

“Sixteen, really?” Schlatt inquired, he sounded genuinely surprised. “You act so maturely for your age. Certainly more than my Vice President, anyhow.” He told him, pausing briefly before continuing once more. “You’re free to drink anyways. In fact, I _insist_ that you do.” 

Tubbo hooked his fingers around the glass and picked it up, holding it to his mouth. The cold liquid made him shiver when it touched his lips. Alas, Tubbo hesitated. 

Schlatt’s eyes narrowed in confusion at the action. 

“You act like it's going to kill you, Tubbo. Rest assured that it won’t.” Schlatt said, a knowing smile on his face. 

“You may have betrayed my administration, but I still like you, Tubbo. Perhaps even more than my Vice President. But I’m getting off-topic, drink now. It’ll make this next conversation _much_ easier.” He cooed as he watched Tubbo carefully. His eyes shone darkly in the dim lighting of the office.

The mention of why he was here made Tubbo flinch, but he parted his lips for the drink nonetheless. It burned as it went down and Tubbo couldn’t help but go into a coughing fit. The alcohol had been surprisingly thick, and it took a few hearty swallows to get it down his throat. Some part of him questioned if it was alcohol at all.

Schlatt smiled at the sight. He then poured some more liquor in Tubbo’s glass, filling it back up to the brim despite Tubbo not finishing the first one. The man's gold tooth gleamed as Tubbo reluctantly went to take another sip.

It was then that Tubbo realized that he may not be able to get out this completely unscathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to have received such positive feedback on my last chapter. It really encouraged me to get out a second one as soon as I could :D. Remember, heed the tags. This will get significantly darker as time goes on. 
> 
> If you're fine with some good ole' fashioned dark fics, then I encourage you to keep reading. It means a lot to me!
> 
> Reminder: This is for fun and this does not reflect the personalities of the real people.


	3. But Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets are spilled.

One sip quickly turned into one drink, one drink turned to two, and two turned to three. By the third, Tubbo was barely coherent anymore, instead just spouting the occasional nonsense. 

Schlatt was to blame for that. The liquor was special in that it had a peculiar ingredient added to it prior to Tubbo’s arrival. The concoction was meant to loosen the tongue.

“So, Tubbo, my right-man, how do you feel?” Schlatt asked as he got up from his seat to lean over Tubbo, who had his head buried in his arms, hiccuping softly. 

“Hmm?” The boy asked sleepily, bleary eyes searching around the room as if he had forgotten where he was. 

“How do you feel, Tubbo?” Schlatt repeated softly, trying not to startle the boy too far out of his current state. 

“Fuzzy…” He slurred, nuzzling into his forearms with a yawn. “And kind of sleepy.”

“Well, you can’t go to sleep yet, Tubbo. We still need to have that discussion, remember?” The older man cooed. From afar, you’d think that he was talking to a small child. 

“Oh yeah, ‘m sorry,” Tubbo replied as he unfolded his arms and sat back up wearily. He gazed at Schlatt expectantly with half-lidded eyes as he waited for him to start.

“Now, Tubbo, why were you with Tommy and Wilbur?” Inquired Schlatt, there was an unknown inflection in his tone. 

It took Tubbo a moment to get his thoughts in order. “I tell them...stuff…” The boy mumbled.

Schlatt tilted his head curiously. “What kind of stuff?”

“The stuff you’re”  _ Hiccup _ , “doing.” 

The older man hummed in acknowledgment, though, in truth, he already knew that. He had suspected such the first few times he caught Tubbo sneaking off under the veil of night. 

Normally, he’d punish such behavior in a brutal manner, making sure to show off the traitor and their respective punishment for the entire state to see, but Tubbo was special. Unlike the rest of Schlatt’s administration, Tubbo was  _ weak _ . The boy followed people around like a lap-dog, constantly nipping as the heels of the people he cared about until they gave him even the slightest bit of affection. With enough time, Schlatt was sure that Tubbo would make a well-trained guard dog. 

“You wouldn’t happen to know  _ where  _ Tommy and Wilbur are, would you?” Schlatt questioned, leaning heavily over his desk to carefully scrutinize the boy. His head rested atop of his intertwined hands, a large wolfish grin on his features.

Tubbo blinked dumbly at the man. His thoughts were a hazy mess and his body felt light like he could float away at any second. Some part of him, the tiny part that still possessed a semblance of coherency, told him that he shouldn’t divulge the information, that it was a bad idea, that--

“Come on, you can tell me, Tubbo. I’m your  _ friend _ , and friends help each other.” Schlatt crooned, placing one of his hands on the other’s shoulder, squeezing it lightly. 

Friends? Were they friends? Tubbo really couldn’t remember with all the cotton that made his thoughts all fuzzy. The man seemed friendly enough. He let Tubbo sit in this nice office, offered him a drink, and has been very nice to him so far. He didn’t see why they wouldn’t be friends. 

“Tommy and Wilbur… have this…”  _ Hiccup _ , “New place called Pogtopia.” Tubbo started slowly. “It’s somewhere in the woods,”  _ Hiccup _ , “Near here. Has a giant sign over the entrance, can’t miss it.”

Schlatt smiled wide at the information, showing off nearly all his teeth in an ill-omened simper. Had a man seen Schlatt at that moment, he would no longer need to wonder what the devil looked like.

Getting up from his seat, Schlatt walked around the desk over to Tubbo, who was starting to fall asleep in his chair. He held up his hand to give an appreciative ruffle at the boy's hair. Tubbo murmured and pressed against it, making Schlatt’s chuckle quietly.

He prodded the boy softly with his other hand. “Let’s get you into a bed. You need to be well-rested for tomorrow. Soon, the whole world’s going to know just how much you helped me today.” He whispered. 

Tubbo hummed absently mindedly and allowed Schlatt to guide him through the White House. Eventually, the man led him into one of the guest rooms, where Tubbo fell onto the bed with ease, practically falling asleep instantly.

Schlatt smirked at the sight. A fine dog Tubbo would make indeed. 

With that, Schlatt left the room, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. 

He padded through the White House, searching for the two other men apart of his administration. He found the two idly chatting in the White House’s lobby. The two stopped at the sight of their leader.

“Hello there, Mr. President.” The man in the blue tie and suit greeted, also known as Quackity. The other man, in a cyan tie, regarded Schlatt with a silent nod, George was his name. 

“I have some fantastic news, boys.” Schatt started, unbridled ecstasy in his voice. 

“Does it have something to do with that long conference with our Secretary of State?” Quackity inquired. There was a tinge of loathing in his voice, but it went unheeded by Schlatt. 

“My right-hand man told me where to find Wilbur and Tommy. They’re in the woods nearby. I want you two to scour the area, leaving no stone unturned, and bring those two rebels to me. Their public executions should stomp out this rebellion once and for all.” Schlatt explained, gesturing for the two to start searching. 

George left silently, and Quackity gave an eye-roll before complying and following behind the other.

Once the two left, Schlatt started mentally preparing his speech for tomorrow. It was a celebratory day after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than what I usually write, so pardon me for that. I know these first few chapters seem pretty boring, but I needed them to get into the real meat of things. The next chapter should be are last filler before things can start getting spicy! :D
> 
> I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter nonetheless!
> 
> Reminder: This fic in no way represents the actual people, this is all just for fun.


	4. The Verdict Is In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is Tubbo's big day.

The first thing Tubbo awoke too was a searing headache. One that made his temples throb and pulse, like something was trying to claw its way out of his brain. The sunlight that shined in through the window did nothing to soothe the pain. He winced when a beam of light hit his eyes.

He moved his hand sluggishly up to shade his eyes as he blearily opened them. 

The first thing he noticed was that he was in an unfamiliar room. 

The room he was in was rather small. The walls were colored a formal beige, and the curtains that accented the windows were a dark grey, almost black. There was a long mahogany dresser accompanying one of the room’s walls, a silver mirror was perched on top. At the other end of the room was a bypass door that guarded the entrance to what Tubbo presumed to be the closet. 

Tubbo got up from his spot on the bed and walked over to the vanity to gaze at himself in the mirror. His hair was messy and riddled with knots, and he was still wearing the rumpled suit from yesterday. Schlatt would most certainly be angry by his unprofessional behavior.

Wait a minute,  _ Schatt-- _

Tubbo couldn’t remember much from yesterday. He talked to Tommy and was then caught by Schlatt, who did… something? All Tubbo could recall was Schlatt guiding the boy into his office to talk, but he couldn’t remember anything beyond that point. What had happened?

Tubbo squeezing his eyes together in concentration, concluding that maybe if he thought hard enough he would remember what had transpired. Alas, all the boy received was a spike of pain flaring from his headache, which seemed to have increased ten-fold. 

Wincing, Tubbo stumbled his way back to bed, flopping face-first onto the crinkled white sheets. He didn’t think he was fit to attend work today. He’d just tell Schlatt that he was sick if he went looking for him, knowing that Schlatt was never keen on dragging around unpresentable people. Said that it ‘damaged his reputation.’ 

“Tubbo!” A familiar voice called as he heard his door get busted down with gusto.

‘ _ Speak of the devil and he shall appear _ ’ isn’t that what the quote said?

Nevertheless, the person who had busted down the door was no other than the president of L’Manburg, Schlatt. 

“You awake, Tubbo?” The man had the gall to ask as if the slam of the door wouldn’t have woken him up.

But Tubbo was a kind soul, so he just replied with a muffled, “Mmhmm.”

“Great!” Schlatt shouted as he entered the room, making Tubbo grimace and cover his ears. 

“Too loud…” Tubbo whimpered. He rolled over to face Schlatt from his position on the bed, staring up at the older man who regarded him curiously. Then, the man’s eyes lit up as he seemed to realize something.

“Oh, you’re probably not feeling too good from yesterday, huh?” Schlatt said idly like it was the most casual thing in the world. He rested the back of his hand on Tubbo’s forehead as if checking for a fever. Tubbo guessed it was supposed to be a comforting gesture, but all it did was make the boy flinch.

“Yesterday?”

“You don’t remember?” Schatt asked, pulling back his hand and resting it at his side. 

Tubbo simply shook his head. 

Schlatt blinked. He knew just how potent that drink was, but this is the first time he’s ever seen it cause memory loss. Schlatt grinned widely, this could prove useful if he played his cards right. 

“After our little discussion yesterday, you tripped and banged your head into my desk.” He told the boy. “That’s why you don’t feel good.”

“Really?” Tubbo questioned. He didn’t see any bruises when he looked in the mirror, perhaps his hair had been in the way? He couldn’t see why Schlatt would lie about such a thing. He only lied when it benefitted him, and Tubbo didn’t see how this would help.

“Yes,” Schlatt responded curtly, smiling fondly at the boy. Or at least it would’ve been, had his smile not been so wide. It sent a shiver creeping down his spine.

While searching the man’s features, Tubbo noticed that Schlatt held something behind his back. Noticing Tubbo’s gaze, Schlatt pulled out the mysterious item. 

It was a suit.

Schlatt tossed the clothing over to Tubbo, who fumbled a bit before catching it. 

“Put this on. I don’t want you wearing something so filthy in public.” Schlatt said, motioning to the dirty suit Tubbo had fallen asleep in and wrinkling his nose in apparent disgust like it was the vilest thing he’d ever seen. Tubbo shrunk at the words. He hated just how much he cared about Schlatt’s opinion. 

“Yes sir, right away Mr. President.” Replied Tubbo as he stood up from the bed, ignoring the way the world spun as he unfolded the apparel. The first thing Tubbo noticed was just how long the arm and leg portions of the suit were.

Schlatt must’ve noticed his confused look. “Since you don’t have a spare suit, I just gave you one of mine. It’ll be slightly big on you, of course, but it’ll do.” Schlatt beamed, making his way to the door. “Now get ready, it’s a big day after all!” He finished, closing the door behind him with a click. 

Big day? What big day? Was there some celebration going on that he hadn’t heard about? Well, it’s not like Tubbo could ask with Schlatt gone. 

Sighing, he set to peeling off his current suit and putting on the new one. Schlatt had been lying when he said that it would be a bit big, it was  _ really  _ big. So big, that Tubbo had to roll up the pants and sleeves just to keep them out of the way. He then put on the scarlet tie with a sort of practiced ease. In a way, it felt like he was tying a noose around his neck.

With that, he left the bedroom and began his daily routine. Schlatt would send for him once this ‘big day’ came.

* * *

Tubbo was in his office doing paperwork when Quackity came in unannounced. 

“Schlatt needs you to on stage, we’re about to start soon.” The older man monotonously told him. He briefly eyed Tubbo’s too-big suit curiously. Anyone could recognize one of Schlatt suits with ease due to the expensive material they were made of, but what really perplexed Quackity was the fact that Tubbo was wearing one. Schlatt wasn’t a man that shared, especially when it came to clothing. 

Tubbo felt his cheeks flush under the scrutiny, but Quackity had left before he had gotten to respond. The action annoyed Tubbo. He knew good and well that Quackity wasn’t a big fan of the boy. Hell, he said that to Tubbo himself! Didn’t like how cozy he and Schlatt were. In Tubbo’s opinion, cozy was the last word he’d use to describe his relationship with Schlatt. 

Sighing, Tubbo straightened his tie and started his march to the stage. 

People were already gathered around the stage. Some were crying, others were talking loudly about something that Tubbo couldn’t decipher. Tubbo tried to see what the people were gawking at on stage, but he couldn’t see over their heads.

Tubbo steered clear from the growing crowd and slipped behind the stage, where the boy saw Schlatt fiddling idly with the buttons on his suit. 

Schlatt smiled upon seeing the boy. To an on-looker, the smile could have been described as affectionate, loving even, but Tubbo has worked with Schlatt long enough to catch the sinister undertones that came with each grin. 

“Show’s about to start, Tubbo. Quackity and George are already on stage.” Schlatt informed him, glancing at Tubbo top to bottom as he did so. 

“Is something wrong, Mr. President?” Tubbo asked, noticing the look Schlatt was giving him.

“You need to start fixing your hair properly, it’s unbecoming of you,” Schlatt said, taking a few steps closer to the boy. “You can’t go around looking like a rat’s nest on your big day.” 

Tubbo raised his hands up to his head, preparing to rectify his mistake, but Schlatt had beaten him to it. The man ran his fingers roughly through the boy’s locks, pulling out the occasional roots as he did so. 

“That hurts, sir.” Tubbo whimpered, his hands lightly ghosted along Schlatt’s wrist, wrapping around them carefully as he attempted to gently free himself from the older man’s hold. 

“It’ll be worse if you keep pulling away,” Schlatt warned, his grip on Tubbo’s hair tightening to the point of pain before letting go. “I wouldn’t be doing this if you just combed your hair before coming. You brought this on yourself, kid.”

Tubbo, heeding the warning, removed his hands from Schlatt’s wrist and held them at his side instead. He had completely stopped squirming, only now letting out the infrequent whimper whenever Schlatt’s fingers ran into a knot.

After a minute or two, Schlatt pulled his hands back, a satisfied smirk on his face. 

“That’ll do, Tubbo.” He stated as he began his walk towards the stage’s steps. Tubbo promptly followed the other man, staying about a foot behind him at all times. 

The first thing Tubbo noticed as he walked up alongside Schlatt was that George had Quackity had two bows trained on the backs of two men. 

The second thing he noticed was that said men were Tommy and Wilbur, who stared at Tubbo with nothing short of unbridled rage. An anger that Tubbo hadn’t seen since Eret’s betrayal.

Tubbo went stock still at the sight, a million different thoughts running through his brain. 

_ When were they caught? How? What’s going to happen to them? Why do they look so mad-- _

His thoughts were cut off by a hiss of pain leaving his mouth. Schlatt had stopped when Tubbo did, and now held the boy’s forearm in a vice grip as he dragged him up to the podium. 

Tubbo’s heels dug into the wood, he didn’t want to get any closer to the pair, but his shoes provided little friction. They looked like they wanted to kill him. 

“Hello, Is this thing on?” Schlatt began, letting out a hum when his voice rang throughout the stage and then some. 

“Good. Now, we’ve gathered here to celebrate the captures of rebel leader Wilbur Soot, and his second in command, Tommy Innit. They have conspired against this great nation for too long! And soon, they are to receive the death penalty for their traitorous ways.” Schlatt started, his voice was loud and powerful amongst the crowd. With how passionately the man spoke, you’d think that the rebels were the villains all along and that Schlatt was merely a victim of them and not the other way around. 

He glanced at Tubbo, a cruel smile playing on his lips, and the boy could feel dread start building up in his stomach, clawing up past his throat. He swallowed it down thickly.

“And none of this would’ve been possible without the help of my right-hand man, who sniffed out those traitors faster than any bloodhound!” Schlatt called out as he gestured for Tubbo to join him at the podium. “Get over here Tubbo! I want this nation to know just who helped me.” He said cheerfully, laughing all the way. 

Tubbo knew that wasn’t the real reason for being called to stand. Schlatt could care less if this country knew what Tubbo did, he just wanted the  _ rebels  _ to know exactly who betrayed them. Wanted  _ Tommy  _ to know.

“Tubbo, you bastard! We trusted you!” Tommy screamed, his eyes ablaze despite the bow George kept pressed against his back. 

Tubbo could feel himself shaking, he didn’t know what was happening. He never betrayed Pogtopia, never even told Schlatt of its existence. He didn’t even know how Schlatt found the two. 

“I didn’t do anything…” Tubbo quietly mumbled to no one in particular. It was so quiet, that the only person that seemed to catch it was Schlatt, who grinned wider at the admission. 

“Of course you did, Tubbo. You told me where to find their pathetic excuse for a base yourself!” Schlatt laughed, placing a hand on Tubbo's shoulder. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Tubbo could make out Tommy’s snarling face. He felt guilt gnaw his insides out. The look Wilbur gave him nearly made him cry right then and there. It wasn’t a look of fury, not even one of anger, it was just disappointment like he expected better from Tubbo. Somehow, that made the hurt worse. 

_ ‘But I didn’t do anything!’ _ Tubbo wanted to scream. He clenched his eyes shut, wishing for this all to be a bad dream. He’d wake up in a few minutes, he had to. 

Schlatt’s hand on his shoulder proved otherwise.

The rest of the speech went by in a blur. Once over, Quackity and George promptly dragged the two to the country’s holding cells by the White House. Wilbur was deathly silent as he was pushed. A contrast to Tommy, who was kicking and screaming the whole way. Tubbo watched them leave. His insides tossed and turned, he felt like he was going to vomit. 

Tubbo felt Schlatt squeeze his shoulder.

“Are you okay, kid?” Schlatt asked.

Tubbo couldn’t believe he had to gall to ask him that. The man had sentenced his friends, his  _ family _ , to death right in front of him! He  _ ruined  _ his life.

“Don’t give me that look, Tubbo. You’re the reason they’re here, remember that.” Schlatt told him sternly, his smile dropping temporarily before perking up again. 

“To be honest, Tubbo. I think you’re more like me than you realize…” Schlatt said absentmindedly as if it were just a casual statement and not something that made Tubbo’s world spin.

The words rang in his ears long after the speech was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a big fan of how this chapter was written. I'll try to do better next time. Anyhow, thank you for reading! :D
> 
> Reminder: All of this is for fun and doesn't reflect the behavior of the real people!


	5. In the Car With a Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo goes to save his friends.

The nighttime air was crisp and cool against Tubbo’s skin, making him pull the over-sized suit closer to himself in an attempt to create a buffer against the cold.

He pushed onwards despite the temperature, it was the least of his concerns at the moment. All that mattered to him right now was Wilbur and Tommy. 

Tubbo approached the door to the holding cells, the entrance was barely visible amongst the shadows. 

Tubbo knew that he shouldn’t be trying something like this so soon, the speech celebrating their capture had been mere hours ago, after all. Schlatt most likely had extra security measures to prevent the duo from escaping, and if he caught Tubbo in there…

Tubbo shook his head, clearing his train of thought the moment it began. He couldn’t be a coward now, Tommy and Wilbur needed his help, even if they thought him a traitor now. Besides, this could also serve as an opportunity for Tubbo to explain himself, to tell them that he didn’t know how Schlatt got the information about Pogtopia. To tell them that he was still on their side.

Steeling his resolve, Tubbo pushed open the heavy wooden door that hid the cells from the rest of L’Manburg. 

Beyond the door was a long winding set of stone stairs, darkness sat at the end of each step. Tubbo couldn’t make out the bottom. 

Sighing, Tubbo reached into his pocket to pull out a stick, which he promptly set fire too. The light it produced was small, but any light was better than no light when it came to the dungeon. People who got lost within the dungeon’s twisting corridors and dead-end hall-ways rarely saw the light of day again. 

With torch in hand, Tubbo began his descent down the seemingly endless stairs. The soles of his shoes clicked quietly against the stone steps.

* * *

_Click_.

The noise echoed throughout the caverns that made up the dungeon, reaching all the way to the prison cells.

Tommy opened one eye blearily. The boy was incredibly tired, the day had simply sucked all the strength out of him. 

It was one thing to be captured, but it became something else entirely once Tommy found out the Tubbo was the cause behind it. His best friend had ratted them out, but for what? Money? Power? Tommy knew Tubbo well enough to know that he was interested in none of those things, so what did he get from this? 

Or maybe, just maybe, Tommy didn’t know Tubbo well enough. Maybe Tubbo was interested in such things, maybe that’s why he didn’t originally leave with Wilbur and him, why he chose to stay with Schlatt, and why he chose to betray them.

Perhaps Tubbo was no better than Schlatt.

Tommy mentally chided himself. Tubbo wasn’t like Schlatt, treachery or not. Nobody was worse than Schlatt.

 _Click_.

There was that sound again. 

Tommy slowly sat up from his position on the concrete flooring, his bones aching in protest. Schlatt hadn’t even bothered to provide the two with simple bedding before their execution. 

The blonde strained his ears, listening for the sound once more. 

_Click. Click._

Tommy noted that the sounds were getting louder, more frequent. He concluded that it was most definitely a person, most likely one of Schlatt or one of his goons. They were the only ones allowed in the cells anyway. Yet Tommy couldn’t understand why anyone would come down so late into the night. 

Tommy looked to the cell next to his, where Wilbur was being kept, for some guidance, some plan, but found the older man asleep. 

How the man still managed to sleep, Tommy didn’t know.

_Click. Click. Click._

With a deep breath, Tommy braced himself, staring defiantly at the shadows through the cell bars. Daring whoever was there to show themselves.

_Click. Click. Click. Click._

The approaching figure stepped directly in front of the bars, allowing Tommy to peer at him despite the darkness.

The boy had seen enough of Schlatt in his lifetime to easily recognize one of the man’s signature suits. It even had the crimson tie to match. 

The suit, oddly enough, hung off the man’s form loosely. Schlatt was never one to wear clothes that didn’t fit. 

Looking closer, Tommy saw that it wasn’t Schlatt at his cell at all. Instead, he was met with the timid face of Tubbo, who stared at Tommy anxiously. 

Tommy blinked rapidly at the sight as if he could think Tubbo away like some hallucination that was conjured up in his tired state. His bewilderment shifted into a glare once he realized that the person standing before him was real.

“What are you doing here, traitor?” Tommy hissed. He hated how cold his voice sounded and based upon Tubbo’s wince, he did too.

“I’ve come to get you out,” Tubbo whispered, fiddling for something in his dress pockets.

Now that made Tommy angry. 

“Oh? You want to save us now? If you didn’t want us here, then you shouldn’t have told Schlatt where our base was!” Tommy seethed, using his hands to shake the bars in front of him. He could see Wilbur’s sleeping form stir out of the corner of his eye.

“I didn’t tell Schlatt where your base was!” Tubbo whispered-screamed, pulling out what looked like a lockpick from his pocket. He looked like he was about to cry.

“Then how did Schatt find us?” Tommy asked. The malice was still present in his speech but had considerably lessened at the Tubbo’s tone.

“I don’t know!” Tubbo screamed, making Tommy flinch. Tubbo quickly threw his hands over his mouth, eyes widened in shock. Tommy could see his eyes glistening with soon-to-be shed tears.

It was then that Tommy started laughing. It wasn’t a laugh of joy, nor was it one of sorrow. It was a bittersweet sound, one mixed with hysteria, like he couldn’t believe his ears. Oh, what had become of their family?

“Tommy?” The blonde heard a voice say, still laced with sleep. Off to the side, Wilbur sat up drearily, looking back and forth between Tubbo and Tommy in weary confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Y’know, Tubbo, I believe you. I actually believe you.” Tommy told Tubbo through his fits of giggles before turning to Wilbur, a smile plastered onto his face. “We’re getting out Wilbur, we’re not dying after all!”

Wilbur continued to stare, a frown on his lips. “But wasn’t Tubbo the one who…?” Wilbur began before trailing off, making the gesture of a knife slicing across his throat using his thumb.

“I never betrayed you, Wilbur. Schlatt was lying, he was--” Tubbo said frantically, eyes darting nervously around the cells as he desperately searched for the right words to describe his situation only for none to come to mind.

“I’ll explain it later,” Tubbo relented, “Let’s focus on getting you out of here for now--”

“Those traitors aren’t going anywhere, Tubbs.” A familiar voice rang out from behind them. The sheer suddenness causing Tubbo to drop the lockpick he was holding.

 _Schlatt_.

The man in question stepped foward, a twisted snarl on his features.

“What do you think you’re doing down here, Tubbo?” Schlatt inquired with barely veiled fury in his voice.

“Well, I-I--” Stubbo stuttered, glancing over at Tommy and Wilbur as if the two could somehow help him. The pair simply stared sat Schlatt with wide, fearful eyes, looking almost like deers in headlights.

Tubbo felt confidence, driven by anger, flood into his veins. He wouldn’t let Schlatt kill his friends, not if he had anything to do about it.

“I’m letting them go, Schlatt. They haven’t done anything to you!” Tubbo told the older man sternly, fire blazing in his eyes.

But Schlatt paid the statement no heed, “No you’re not, now move out of the way, Tubbo--”

“No,” Tubbo said, gazing at Schlatt determinedly as he stood between him and the holding cells.

Schlatt stared at the boy in bewilderment. No? Really? It was almost funny how his little pet thought that he could just tell Schlatt ‘ _no_ ’ and get away with it. 

The older man let out a growl as he lunged for Tubbo, pining the younger against one of the cobblestone walls roughly. Tubbo let out a whimper as his back hit the wall, his courage drained in an instant.

“You think that you can just tell me ‘ _no_ ’, Tubbo?” Schlatt snapped, grabbing the boys chin and forcing him to look into the other’s eyes. The man could hear Tommy’s cry out something behind him, but his thoughts were too clouded to understand him. 

“I have spent months dealing with you and your excessive _bullshit_ ,” Schlatt started, accenting the word with a sharp knee to the boy’s stomach, making him crumple to the floor, clutching at his midsection. “And this is how you repay me!” 

The man then pressed a foot against Tubbo’s neck, slowly adding pressure.

“I have _killed_ bitches for only doing one-tenth of the shit you’ve pulled today!” Schlatt continued, adding more pressure to Tubbo’s throat as he spoke. He could hear the boy making strangled noises beneath him, his hands grasping at Schlatt’s shined leathers in an attempt to relieve the pressure.

After a minute or two has passed Schlatt, in an act of mercy, removed his foot from the boy’s throat. He picked Tubbo up by the arms and pressed him against the wall once more while Tubbo struggled to regain his breath, wheezing occasionally.

“I’m going to be nice, Tubbo, and let you go. All you have to do is turn around and leave this instant, and you’ll get off scot-free!” Schlatt smiled, leaning in close to the boy’s face. Tubbo could smell the stench of tobacco on his breath.

Schlatt’s knowing smirk made Tubbo frown, he wanted nothing else but to punch the look off the older man’s face. 

So he did.

* * *

Tommy’s surprised expression mirrored that of Schlatt’s as the older man stumbled back from the hit. The only difference being that Tommy was hollering praises at Tubbo while Schlatt remained deadly silent. 

It only took Tommy a few seconds to see that Tubbo didn’t share the same excitement he did over the action. In fact, Tubbo looked downright horrified. Glancing periodically between his still-clenched fist and Schlatt like he couldn’t believe what he just did. 

“Wait, Schlatt-- I-I’m sorry-- I didn’t mean to hit you, I-I--” Tubbo rambled, Tommy could see just how badly he had begun shaking. His baby-blue eyes were darting back and forth, never focusing on anything. 

Schlatt took a minute to compose himself. Then, he smiled, one with all teeth and not a hint of warmth behind it.

“Oh, Tubbo…” The man cooed, taking a step towards the boy. “Sorry won’t cut it.”

Schlatt grabbed Tubbo by the collar and began dragging him off, taking him deeper into the dungeon. 

“Schlatt, no, I’m sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, _sorry_ \--” Tubbo cried frantically, panicked tears streaming down his face.

Tubbo’s voice was drowned out as Schlatt dragged him farther away, leaving Tommy and Wilbur alone once more. Their hope of escaping dissipating before their eyes.

Tommy could feel a furry of emotion going through him all at once, some of which he didn’t even know how to describe. He was angry, he knew that for certain, and upset. Angry about Schlatt’s treatment of Tubbo, about being locked in a cell, about Tubbo’s questionable betrayal. He just wished that everything could go back to the way it was before the election. Hell, even before the war for L’Maburg’s independence.

“Tommy,” Wilbur’s voice disrupted his train of thought, making the younger turn to look at the other. “Tubbo dropped his lockpick earlier, grab it.”

Tommy could make out the thin metal just outside the bars of his cell. He reached an arm through the bars and grabbed it with ease.

“Do you know how to pick a lock, Tommy?” Wilbur asked.

“Of course I do.” Was Tommy’s curt reply, a small half-smile on his lips as he started working the lock.

Maybe they’d get out of here after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear these chapters are getting worse as time goes on. Though I still hoped you enjoyed it nonetheless! :D
> 
> Reminder: This is all for fun and doesn't reflect the personalities of the actual people.


	6. Promise Me She's Not Your World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Schlatt gets a new pet.

The heels of Tubbo’s dress shoes dug into the cracked cobblestone floors as Schlatt dragged him along, the grip on his collar tightening in response. It was getting harder to breathe.

Tubbo raised his hands up and placed them onto Schlatt’s. It wasn’t a tight grip by no means. Tubbo wouldn’t dare try to attack Schlatt again, his throat still burned from when Schlatt stepped on it. His fingers tapped along the hands that held his collar quickly, desperately. Trying to signal to the other man that he couldn’t breathe.

Though, now that the thought about it, Schlatt probably cared little for Tubbo’s needs at the moment.

With a final abrupt tug, Schlatt threw the boy into an open cell, snarling as he did so. 

“I hope this fixes that attitude of yours, Tubbo.” He hissed, slamming the iron door shut as he did. 

The cell, Tubbo noticed, looked nothing like the cell’s Wilbur and Tommy were in. This cell was significantly smaller, making the former’s cell look like a mansion in comparison. It looked around to be seven by ten feet in size, potentially smaller. Not that he could really make it out, sunlight didn’t penetrate so deep underground. 

Tubbo could make out a few applications in the almost nonexistent lighting, though few were a generous word to describe the number of things in the cell. All Tubbo could make out was a rusted metal bed, a yellowing sink, and a mold-covered bucket. 

It didn’t take long to realize just where he was, he had helped build it, after all.

It was a room built for solitary confinement. Wilbur had wanted them to build it in case they had any unruly citizens, but he never thought that they’d ever end up using it. And considering the cell’s dismal state, Schlatt didn’t think so either.

Tubbo turned to face the iron door, banging his fist against it hysterically. 

“Schlatt, please come back! I-I said I was sorry-- Schlatt, please!” Tubbo shrieked, tears pouring down his face and staining his cheeks with dark streaks. He knew that he’d hate himself later, hate himself for being so weak. For resorting to screaming and crying like a child. Most of all, he would hate how much he let Wilbur and Tommy down. They were going to be executed soon and it would be all Tubbo’s fault.

The boy’s cries and banging rang throughout the prison, echoing off the walls and bouncing back into his ears like a sickening symphony of suffering. 

Yet no matter how hard he screamed, he knew that Schlatt wasn’t coming back. Once the man did something, he tended to stick to his word. 

With a choked sob, Tubbo turned to face the tiny room, his back against the door as he slid down slowly into a sitting position. The coldness of the iron seeped into his bones, making him shiver.

He contemplated crying some more, hoping that if he cried loud enough that somebody would come back. Tubbo never did well alone. 

Tubbo steeled himself with a steady breath, it would do him no kid to sit and wallow. He just had to stay strong. Someone was bound to come to get him. Maybe Eret, potentially Niki, the list went on. 

Yes, once they noticed he was missing they would come. And once they did, he could set Tommy and Wilbur free. Then, they could go live happily ever after somewhere, in a place far, far away from Schlatt. Away from L’Manburg. 

Tubbo laughed at the thought. It was a bitter sound, one with no joy behind it. He knew that could never happen, too much has changed. Besides, Tommy and Wilbur would much rather burn the nation to the ground than let it live without them. 

* * *

Tubbo opened his eyes tiredly, lids still heavy with sleep. 

He must’ve fallen asleep sometime after he was thrown into the cell, though he didn’t remember ever closing his eyes. 

Tubbo raised a hand to rub the sleep out of his eyes, coughing as he did so. 

His throat was terribly hoarse from the screaming he did yesterday.

Yesterday? Had a whole day passed since he closed his eyes, or had it merely been hours. Tubbo didn’t know. The lightening never changed in the cell, always remaining an inky black. Tubbo’s eyes had since adjusted, allowing him to make out the outlines of the items in the cell, his brain filled in everything else. 

With the drowsiness gone, Tubbo got up from his position on the floor and stretched, his back aching in protest. The iron door had provided little cushion, making him wonder how he managed to fall asleep at all. 

He paced around the room idly, feeling his way around with a hand in front of him. He walked to the bed, then back to the door, to the bed, and to the door again. 

Tubbo knew that the action did nothing to help him get free from his prison, but it passed the time. Wilbur had designed these cells to be airtight, nothing could get out without a key. 

After a while, Tubbo’s stomach started to rumble, forcing Tubbo to think about the last time he had eaten. 

He didn’t think he had a bite of food ever since Wilbur and Tommy’s sentencing, and he was starting to regret it.

Tubbo took a few brief steps to the sink, praying to the Sky-Gods that it worked. The once pristine white sink may have been diminished to a ruddy brown by time, but water was water. And it would at the very least supplement his stomach until food arrived.

 _If_ food arrived. 

The thought made Tubbo bink, he hadn’t thought about that before. What if Schlatt had decided that this was the last straw? Did he ever plan on letting Tubbo out, or was he just going to let the boy waste away within the deepest parts of the dungeon? If Tubbo died here, he doubted his body would be found, and even if it were it would’ve been decimated by rats and other vile scavengers that lived in the depths. 

The idea made him shake. He didn’t want to die.

He reached a hand up to the sink’s tap, turning it slowly. 

The boy couldn’t see the water coming from the tap, but he could _smell_ it. It had the repugnant stench of iron and rot like something had died in the water.

Tubbo swiftly turned off the water afterward, not daring to turn it back on again. He may be hungry, but there was no way he was drinking whatever was in that water if it was even water.

Ignoring his stomach’s growls, Tubbo made his way to the iron bed and laid down. It was no more comfortable than laying against the door had been, but at least he could lay down. 

Tubbo didn’t feel tired, not by any means, but he shut his eyes anyway, willing himself to sleep. There was nothing else he could do anyway…

* * *

The sound of a door creaking open, followed by heavy footsteps, is what woke Tubbo up from his slumber. 

He shot up in elation, he was finally getting out--

Tubbo’s shoulders drooped when he saw Schlatt at the door, an off-set frown burrowed onto his features.

“You don’t look happy to see me,” Schlatt stated simply, keeping his hands behind his back. “I thought you’d be more excited.” 

“Why would I be happy to see you?” Tubbo responded impulsively, his hand shot up to his mouth in surprise. He regretted the words as soon as they came tumbling out of his mouth.

Schlatt, on the other hand, didn’t seem perturbed. “Hmm. That’s a shame, guess you don’t want this.” He said nonchalantly, revealing the items behind his back. He held a plate of what looked like grey mush in one hand, in the other he had a small glass of water.

The sight nearly made Tubbo salivate, his stomach growling in want. Under normal circumstances, Tubbo wouldn’t eat whatever it was that Schlatt had put on the plate, but he was just _so_ hungry. He didn’t know how long he had been in this cell for, it felt like he hadn’t eaten in weeks.

The sight made Schlatt laugh knowingly and Tubbo hated it. He realized, right then and there, just how much he despised the horned man.

Schlatt set the food and water down on the floor in front of himself, motioning for Tubbo to come over and eat. 

Tubbo got up from his spot on the metal bedding and walked towards Schlatt, leaning over to pick up the food when he felt a leather shoe press against his back, knocking him onto the floor. The boy nearly landed face-first into his meal. 

“ _Tsk_ , Tubbo. You were very rude today, rude boys don’t get to eat with their hands.” He started, a wicked smile dancing on his lips, “Eat it off the floor.” 

Tubbo stared at the older man in defiance but eventually complied nonetheless, he didn’t want a repeat of what happened last time he went against Schlatt. 

Getting down on his hands and knees, Tubbo lapped up the mush with his tongue. Most of it he didn’t even get in his mouth, instead, it just clung to the seams of his mouth and stained his wrinkled suit in an animalistic fashion.

He felt shame, hot and burning, run through his veins like electricity. 

“I wonder what Tommy and Wilbur would think of you if they saw you now.” Schlatt hummed absentmindedly. “Not that they ever would, of course. Those rebels managed to escape not too long ago.” 

The statement made Tubbo’s world come to a halt. He felt a giddiness bubble up within him. They had gotten out! They weren’t going to perish by Schlatt’s hand after all!

The man in question must’ve picked up on Tubbo’s excitement, as he tilted his head curiously. “I wouldn’t be so happy if I were you, considering that they left you behind and all…” Schlatt said, a wry grin plastered on his face as he carefully monitored Tubbo’s creation. Oh, how fun it will be to _break_ this boy.

Tubbo’s demeanor seemed to drop at the words. He had stopped eating in favor of simply staring at the food with a furrowed brow as if he could find the answers if he looked hard at it enough.

“ _They’ll come…_ ” Schlatt heard Tubbo whisper. It was so quiet that he could barely hear it, he supposed that he wasn’t meant to. 

With a satisfied grin, Schlatt took Tubbo’s near-empty plate in one hand, using the other to ruffle the boy’s dirty brunette locks. Like he was some _dog_.

The man left the glass of water in the cell as he left, humming a pleasant tune all the while Tubbo sat stiffly in his position, unmoving. The words were replaying in his head over and over again.

* * *

Tubbo was laying own on the iron plate that served as his bed, staring at the writhing shadows that seemed to make up the darkest corners of the cell. 

The shadows didn’t always move, or at least they didn’t when Tubbo was first thrown in here, but now they do and he wasn’t sure why. Maybe they were shy? Yeah, that had to be it. 

It comforted the boy to know that he wasn’t truly alone, even if the darkness was his only company at the moment. He could still recall the sheer anguish that had pierced his heart when Schlatt told him that Tommy had abandoned him. Not that he could blame the other, who’d want to save poor, pitiful Tubbo anyway? Tommy was ultimately the star of the story, always shining so brightly. It reminded Tubbo of the star he had seen all those nights ago. 

The memory only made Tubbo’s heart ache more. 

The familiar sound of a door opening snapped Tubbo out of his thoughts. 

Schlatt stepped into the room, the same plate of food he always had whenever he stopped by in one hand. 

As much as Tubbo hated to admit it, he felt twisted sort of joy when Schlatt came to visit him nowadays. It got pretty lonely after a while. 

He set the food down wordlessly, just like he’s been doing the past few visits. He hasn’t said a word to Tubbo ever since Wilbur and Tommy’s break out. 

How Tubbo wished the man would say something, anything, to him. Without speech to fill the silence, Tubbo was left alone with his thoughts, and Tubbo had begun to despise his own thoughts. 

But alas, the man said nothing. He simply watched Tubbo eat, and gave him a pat on the head before leaving, something that Tubbo had started leaning into after the first few times.

Afterward, Tubbo was left with his thoughts once more.

* * *

It was the sound of Wilbur and Tommy’s voices that woke Tubbo up.

Sitting up from his bed, Tubbo scanned around the darkroom with ease, his eyes having long since adjusted to the shadows. 

He spotted the forms of the two standing side-by-side in the corner where the bucket was. Tubbo could see the pair perfectly despite the darkness, it was almost like they were both glowing. 

Tubbo could see Tommy whisper something to Wilbur once Tubbo looked over, but he couldn’t quite make what they said. Whatever it was, it must’ve been pretty funny, as Wilbur giggled in response. 

Tubbo’s face stretched into a wide grin, he knew they would come back. For a moment there, he had started to believe otherwise. 

“It’s you! You came back!” Tubbo laughed, reached a hand out to Tommy and--

 _It went right through the other._

Tubbo blinked rapidly in confusion. His hand has never passed through Tommy before. He stared at the blonde with an inquisitive tilt of his head in silent question. 

Tommy simply giggled in response, which then turned into a full-blown laugh, like Tubbo was stupid for even trying to reach out to them, for trying to _touch_ them.

It grated on Tubbo’s ears in a way that Tommy’s laugh had never done before, causing the boy to cover his ears. To make matters worse, Wilbur’s echoing laughter had joined the chorus.

Tubbo could feel frenzied, confused tears start rolling down his face. He didn’t know what was happening. _Why were they laughing? Why weren’t they helping him? He didn’t understand--_

“Tubbo?” A voice called out from over the laughter. 

Tubbo turned to the origin of the voice, finding none other than Schlatt standing at the door’s entrance, staring at Tubbo in bewilderment. 

“Why are you crying, kid?” He asked.

Tubbo shakily wiped the tears from his cheeks and went to point at the figures of Tommy and Wilbur in the corner, only to find that the pair had vanished. 

Like they never existed in the first place.

How rude it is for his friends to just disappear like that.

The fact that even his hallucinations of Tommy and Wilbur had abandoned him somehow made him cry harder. 

Schlatt, despite his confusion, went over to pull the boy into a tight hug, whispering soothing nothings into his ear that Tubbo didn’t bother to make out, nor did he want to. 

Schlatt was right. His friends had left him and they weren’t coming back.

The older man stayed with Tubbo until the brunette had no more tears left to shed, and Tubbo let him. 

* * *

Tubbo had no idea how long he had been in this cell for. He had counted Schlatt’s visits as one day, but he had lost track of those a long time ago. 

Admittedly, Tubbo had grown fond of the older man’s visits. It made him feel like he wasn’t so alone. 

Tommy and Wilbur may have left him, but Schlatt was always there, and all Tubbo had to do to keep him there was to make him happy.

It had taken Tubbo a while to learn just what kept the other man happy, but he learned nevertheless. He just had to do whatever Schlatt said, an incredibly easy task if you asked Tubbo. Though you might’ve gotten a different answer had you asked the old Tubbo, the one who still had the audacity to stay loyal to Wilbur when his _real_ family was right here in Manburg.

Tubbo felt a genuine smile spread across his lips when he heard the heavy iron door creak open. A noise that had used to bring dread now made him ever so happy, ironic isn’t it?

When Schlatt walked in, Tubbo quickly dropped into a bow to greet the other, something that Schlatt acknowledged cheerfully with a smile and nod. 

Oddly enough, the man hadn’t brought any food or beverages with him like he usually did, instead, both hands were stuffed into the pockets of his dress pants.

“Tubbo,” Schlatt cooed, a pleased smile set on his face, “You’ve been so good as of late. I’m happy that you’ve ditched that nasty attitude of yours. So happy, in fact, that I think you’re ready to come out now.”

Tubbo blinked at the other man’s words, his brain hardly processing the information. 

_Come out?_ Tubbo hadn’t thought about leaving the cell for a long time now. It may have crossed his mind occasionally, yes, but freedom was something he had since forgotten about. All that mattered to him was keeping Schlatt happy nowadays. But Schlatt seemed pleased to announce that he could leave, and Tubbo didn’t want to upset the other man. 

“I’d love too, Mr. President… but--”

“But?”

“Will I still get to see you?” Tubbo blurted. He wasn’t ready to part from the other, he had relied on Schlatt far to heavily to give him up now. He couldn’t handle someone else leaving him. 

Schlatt regarded Tubbo with bemusement and a glimmer in his eyes. “Of course you’d still see me Tubbo, you’re still my right-hand man, after all!” He laughed. 

The sentence made Tubbo’s eyes light up, and he rushed over to hug the other man, who laughed harder in response. 

“Well, aren’t you clingy today, Tubbo?” Schlatt asked.

Tubbo paid the statement little heed as he continued hugging the other, murmuring praises and little _‘thank you’_ s over and over again. For a moment, Tubbo thought of Tommy, but he squashed the thought down. Tommy abandoned him, Schlatt didn’t. There was no use of thinking about it anymore, such thoughts only got in the way of making Schlatt happy. 

Schlatt smiled triumphantly as Tubbo hugged his midsection. 

Yes, a well-trained dog Tubbo made indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really have to stop torturing Tubbo like this. 
> 
> Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this chapter of mine. I'm quite proud of it, not to mention that it's my longest chapter yet! :D
> 
> EDIT: I originally uploaded this chapter at like 2 am so I quickly went through and fixed some grammar issues I didn't see before.


	7. I Loved And I Loved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Schlatt shows his new pet around.

Schlatt sat idly at his office desk, staring at his paperwork. He clicked his pen against the desk’s sleek mahogany tabletop periodically, humming as he did so. 

He was nearly finished reading through the current document, not that it mattered, considering that he had a whole other stack to work through. 

The man leaned back in his chair with a sigh, running a hand through his hair as he did so. He wouldn’t even have so much paperwork if George actually showed up to his job every once in a while.

“What’s the matter, Mr. President?” A voice asked curiously from beside him. 

Schlatt spun his chair around to face the sound, a smile on his face as he did. He was met with the face of Tubbo, who stared at the older with a worried expression.

The sight of Tubbo never failed to please Schlatt. It filled his heart with a sinister sort of giddiness to know just how well he broke the boy in. He made a wonderful little pup, ever so loyal too. 

“Nothing’s wrong, Tubbs. Work is just frustrating at times.” Schlatt told the younger, waving at hand at him passively. 

Tubbo simply nodded but made no move to leave, he wasn’t supposed to. Schlatt had kept him very close ever since he’s been free from the prison, not that Tubbo minded. He had become deathly afraid of being alone ever since. 

With not much else to do, Tubbo fixed his gaze onto a window that was behind Schlatt, staring out of it absentmindedly as he watched the clouds float by. 

It was funny, really, just how useless the clouds were. They simply flew by and did nothing, never achieving anything. In a way, it almost reminded Tubbo of himself. Back when he was useless, a nobody, always in someone else’s shadow. 

For a brief instance, Tubbo’s thoughts wandered to Tommy. They used to gaze at the sky together, where they would then make out the shapes and laugh. But that back in a simpler time, back when he was worthless. 

Tubbo lightly shook the thoughts away. Thoughts were like clouds nowadays, useless. In fact, Tubbo rendered anything that didn’t help him serve Schlatt moot. Unimportant. All that mattered was keeping Schlatt happy. 

“Hey, Tubbo, I have an idea.” Schlatt’s voice rang out from Tubbo’s side. “Let’s ditch the paperwork and go out to the town. It’d be nice to walk around our beautiful nation, no?”

Tubbo beamed at the offer. “That would be wonderful, Mr. President!”

Tubbo hadn’t gotten the chance to be outside in ages. The last time he could recall being outside was when Schlatt first let him out, but even then the two didn’t stay out for very long, as Schlatt quickly holed himself inside to take care of some _‘affairs’_ as he called them. Not that it mattered to Tubbo, of course, he didn’t want to be anywhere that Schlatt wasn’t. 

Tubbo started stretching slightly as Schlatt got up from his seat. His legs were sore from how long he had been standing. Schlatt didn’t allow him to sit down the entire time he did the paperwork, and Tubbo wouldn’t dare do anything unless Schlatt told him to. 

“Let’s get going then, Tubbo! Besides, I’d be nice to show you off to the rest of Manburg, doncha think?” Schlatt said excitedly as he made his way to the office door, dragging Tubbo along like he was some prized pooch.

“Yes, Mr. President,” Tubbo responded, his body going on autopilot as Schlatt walked to the door, quickly making his way in front of Schlatt to open it. 

“Thank you, Tubbo,” Schlatt said, ruffling the boy’s hair he did so. The younger smiled in response, dropping his head dead slightly to make way for Schlatt’s hand. 

The sight made Schlatt laugh he went out the door, Tubbo following close behind him. 

* * *

“--And that’s how I invented the Schlattcoin!” Schlatt bubbled, making extravagant hand gestures and grinning wildly as he spoke. 

“That’s amazing, Mr. President,” Tubbo replied, sporting a grin of his own. It was always nice to hear Schlatt talk about something that wasn’t Manburg. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know-- _oof!_ ” Schlatt started before being abruptly cut off by two blurry figures dashing past him, knocking him to the floor. The two stopped at the sight, turning to look at who they knocked over, allowing Tubbo to get a good look at their faces.

It was George and Quackity. 

“Sorry, Schlatt!” Quackity panted, going over to pick the other up when he and George spotted Tubbo. 

Tubbo could see Quackity’s eyes widen in shock while George flinched in surprise. The actions didn’t go unnoticed by Schlatt, who smirked at the sight.

“Hey there, boys,” Schlatt started, wrapping an arm around Tubbo’s midsection and pulling him hip-to-hip. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen your ole’ pal Tubbo, huh?”

Fear flashed in Quackity’s eyes as he gazed at Tubbo. The boy was completely different than the last time he saw him. Tubbo wore a steady, yet empty, smile and his normally hunched posture were now perfect and straight. It gave him an almost synthetic look, kind of like a doll. 

The most terrifying part of all, however, were his eyes. They reminded Quackity of the glazed-over orbs of a dead goldfish. 

“Uh--Hi, Tubbo.” Quackity managed to stammer out, though it ended up being phrased more like a question than a statement.

“Hello, Quackity,” Tubbo replied monotonously, not even looking at the other man. He kept his gaze trained on Schlatt like he was all that mattered in the world. The apathetic response left a bitter taste in his mouth. 

The silence that filled the air afterward was palpable and nerve-racking.

“Well, I think we’re just gonna go now…” Quackity trailed off, a wobble to his tone. George nodded his head in silent agreement. Looks like he didn’t want to be there either.

“Going so soon?” Schlatt inquired.

Quackity opened his mouth to answer, but he was quickly cut off by Schlatt. 

“That’s a shame. Y’know, I think you two could learn something from Tubbo.” Schlatt stated calmly, but the men easily noticed the thinly veiled meaning behind the words. It was a threat. One that said _‘cross me and you’ll end up like him’_. 

“Oh, I’m sure we could, Schlatt… Anyways, George and I need to head out, important stuff, and all that jazz!” Quackity giggled anxiously as he started making his way out of the room, dragging George by his forearm as did so. 

Schlatt watched them scurry off, his smirk turning into a full-blown grin as they left. 

“Well that was nice, wasn’t it? Let’s keep going, much has changed since your initial incarceration!” Schlatt chirped, continuing his tour through Manburg, talking about random topics as he did so.

* * *

The sunshine of Manburg was warm on Tubbo’s skin, much different in comparison to the cold cell he had previously called home. 

Schlatt wasn’t lying when he said just how much Manburg changed. 

Sure, some things were still the same, such as the scorched remains of the former flag, the broken walls, etcetera. But many of Manburg’s former monuments have been torn down, instead being replaced with things more akin to Schlatt’s reign, such as whipping post or scaffolding ideal for capital humiliation. Things you’d find under the iron fist of a tyrant. 

Though Tubbo knew that Schlatt was no tyrant. He did everything for a good reason, like disciplining Tubbo whenever he messed something up, or sentencing someone to death upon the charge of misdemeanor.

Tubbo could hear Schlatt talking as they walked, but it all went by in a blissful haze to Tubbo. In truth, the boy wasn’t all there in the head, not anymore. Schlatt had taken special care to properly train the boy, even after the time spent in confinement. 

“Tubbo, you’re okay!” A feminine voice called out somewhere from behind the pair, causing Schlatt to snap around to face the sound, Tubbo following suit. 

There was a woman, clad in old revolutionary attire, jogging towards them. There was a man following behind her, dark sunglasses framing his face. 

Once in arms reach, she shoved Schlatt out of the way and pulled Tubbo into a tight hug. 

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re still alive! What happened, are you okay, what--” 

“Niki, calm down. Give the kid some breathing room.” The man in sunglasses, Eret, Tubbo remembered him well, said, lightly pushing the woman’s arms off Tubbo. 

Tubbo could feel something unfamiliar rise in his chest. A feeling that he couldn’t explain. It was something close to disappointment, sadness maybe. He wished the hug lasted just a bit longer, it was nice in the brief instant it happened. 

“You dare lay your hands upon my right-hand man?” Tubbo heard Schlatt growl as he pushed himself back upright, dusting off his suit and straightening his tie. “Who do you two think you are?”

The lady, Niki, shot Schlatt a piercing glare. “We’re getting Tubbo away from you! Who knows what damage you’ve caused to him already.” 

Schlatt laughed at the admission, laughed like it was the funniest thing he ever heard. “Sure you are…” He sneered, flicking a hand in the boy's direction. “Tubbo, get them out of my sight.”

That command was all it took for Tubbo’s mind to become blank. The only thing that filled his head was the desire to serve, to make Schlatt happy. It was all he was good for, after all.

Tubbo made a grab at Niki’s arms, attempting to pin them behind her back. She was, however, much stronger than Tubbo had anticipated her to be, and she swiftly managed to immobilize the younger. 

“What is _wrong_ with you!?” She screamed, it grated on the boy’s ears painfully. 

With an ugly, dog-like snarl that didn’t quite fit on Tubbo’s soft features, the boy freed an arm from Niki’s grip and punched her square in the jaw, causing her to recoil off him in shock. 

She used a hand to feel along the spot where Tubbo had hit her, wincing at the soon-to-be bruise. 

Tubbo saw Niki’s face flush an angry red. She rolled up one of the sleeves of her uniform and drew her arm back, preparing to knock Tubbo’s teeth out in retaliation. 

Tubbo didn’t even have time to prepare before her fist became intimately acquainted with his nose.

A cracking noise rang out from the hit, signaling that his nose had been broken from the strike.

Tubbo howled and reached a hand up to his nose, only for it to come back smeared in blood. It’s been a while since he’s been hit that hard.

Niki reared up again, preparing to get in another blow in before Eret intercepted, placing himself in between the two. His arms were spread out wide in front of Tubbo. 

“Niki, we don’t have to do this. Let’s just go…” Eret pleaded, breathing heavily. 

Niki stared at Eret in contemplation, occasionally gazing at Tubbo with a look the boy couldn’t place. There was fury in her eyes, definitely. It was something that Tubbo could identify with ease after working with Schlatt for so long, but there was something else there. A look that Tubbo hadn’t received ever since Wilbur and Tommy’s banishment.

“You’re right.” She eventually sighed, turning away from Tubbo to begin the trek to what Tubbo presumed to be her bakery. Eret followed after her, glancing at Tubbo momentarily as she left. He could practically feel the sadness rolling off the blonde in waves despite his sunglasses covering his features.

Tubbo felt guilt eating through his guts like voracious tapeworms, but he didn’t know where the guilt came from. He only acted upon Schlatt’s orders, and Schlatt was all that mattered. The man did nothing without good reason, so why did he feel so awful?

As the duo became nothing but blurry figures on the horizon, Tubbo felt Schlatt place a hand in his messy hair, running clawed fingers through it gently. 

“Good boy, Tubbo.” Schlatt praised, a pleased smile tugging at his lips. 

Tubbo leaned his head into the hand, ignoring how his broken nose ached with each little movement of his head. He swallowed the feelings down, willing himself to enjoy the praise he was receiving. 

He didn’t dwell on the thoughts later in the day, nor did it continue to gnaw at his core the next.

After all, thoughts were like clouds, and clouds were useless. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, filler chapter go burr. :D
> 
> Not but seriously, I was just scrolling through AO3 today before suddenly realizing that I haven't updated in like four days. So I quickly whipped up this chapter to compensate. It's kind of rushed so pardon any mistakes. 
> 
> Reminder: This fic is just for fun and by no means reflects the personality of the real people!


	8. And I Lost You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy decides to take matters into his own hands, with a little help, of course.

Tommy was sitting upon a large rock that jutted up from Pogtopia’s cobblestone floors, acting as an uncomfortable seat. 

He had a diamond-studded sword resting in his lap, sharpening the blade into a fine edge using a sharp, heated stone.

Despite the blonde’s neutral expression, there was a slight furrow in his brow that gave away his feelings, something that one could easily miss if they didn’t know where to look. 

His thoughts were running a mile per minute, something that became a common occurrence ever since he and Wilbur had escaped from Schlatt.

Most of the time, his mind wandered to Tubbo. 

Tommy frequently wondered if he was okay. He imagined not; Tubbo had been actively caught trying to free them, and Schlatt never boded well with traitors. Sometimes, he even wondered if Tubbo was still alive, but he quelled the painful thoughts before his imagination entertained it further. He wasn’t sure if he could take it, real or not. 

He could still recall how much he had screeched and yelled when Schlatt first stuck Tubbo back in the dungeon, so much so that his throat was left red and raw for days afterward. He could remember the hatred that ran through his veins like a surging river. He had never despised the horned man more than he did at that very moment. 

He remembered pleading with Wilbur to save Tubbo as they escaped from their cells, begging at the older to not leave his best friend, _his brother_ , behind. 

But Wilbur had paid him no mind at the time. He simply told Tommy that it was too dangerous to go rescue Tubbo, that they would be caught if they tried. He told the blonde that Tubbo’s sacrifice would have been for nothing if they didn’t leave this prison alive. 

Oh, the profanities the younger had screamed into the face of the older man in response had been brutal and unforgiving in their delivery. Many of which Tommy never intended to repeat out loud again. 

Wilbur had no response at the time. Instead, he dragged Tommy out kicking and screaming, with the boy constantly trying to worm out of his grasp, trying to get to Tubbo.

Tommy could recall the terrified look on Tubbo’s face like it was yesterday. Forever burned into his memory with an illusionary brand. 

The blonde swallowed roughly, squeezing his eyes shut as he stopped rubbing the rock along his weapon’s blade. Gritting his teeth, Tommy did everything in his power to will the memories away. 

Tubbo was still _alive_. Tubbo was _okay_. 

They would save him soon, and then they would live happily-ever-after in Pogtopia together. Doing whatever they wanted when they wanted. 

_‘Liar.’_ His brain rebutted. 

The intrusive thought caused Tommy to run a free hand through his hair, his bottom lip trembling all the while. 

_Months_. 

It had been months since he and Wilbur had escaped, and they haven’t attempted to rescue Tubbo once. They haven’t even sent anyone to check up on him, to see if he was still breathing. 

Tommy’s breaths became heavier and shaky. 

He was a horrible friend. In fact, he wouldn’t even go as far as to call himself Tubbo’s friend anymore. He left behind the one person that has always been by his side. Left him to die. He could only imagine what kind of punishments the Sky-Gods would lay onto his person, he hoped they eviscerated him. Oh, Gods, he wondered what it would be like in hell-- 

A cold hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. 

His sword clattered to the ground as Tommy quickly stood up from his spot, turning around to face the owner of the hand. 

To be honest, Tommy was fully expecting the cold expression of Wilbur to be staring down at him. Once again scolding him for thinking about Tubbo, chiding him, _‘He died so that you may live.’_ He always said. Not that Tommy ever believed that he died, he couldn’t, wouldn’t. 

What he wasn’t expecting, however, was the face of Technoblade, whose hand still rested on the boy’s shoulder.

Tommy couldn’t read his expression, the pig-mask he donned covered most of his face. 

“Hello, small child.” Techno started steadily, staring at Tommy wearily. “You looked… upset earlier. Is everything alright?” 

The question made Tommy blink in surprise. Techno was by no means a touchy-feely man. In fact, the rogue seemed to avoid anything that had to do with emotion in general. 

“I may have been. What’s it matter to you?” Tommy shot back. Wilbur had no interest in hearing about Tubbo, so why would Techno? 

“Because I...” Techno hesitated, stopping to stare silently at Tommy for a brief second before gathering his thoughts. “Because I _care_ about you, Tommy. You’re _family_ , and I don’t like seeing family hurt.” 

Tommy’s jaw nearly dropped at the words. He didn’t think Techno was capable of caring for people, let alone him. As heart-touching as the statement was, Tommy couldn’t help but tease the strawberry blonde man. 

“Aw, shucks. The mightly Technoblade actually likes me, who would’ve known!” Tommy joked, a hesitant smile growing on his cheeks.

“I will kill you where you stand,” Techno replied monotonously, though Tommy could make out a grin of his own.

Tommy laughed, allowing him to momentarily forget about his troubles with Tubbo. Alas, the moment didn’t last forever. 

“So, what was bothering you earlier?” Techno asked once Tommy’s laughter had finally died down.

Tommy winced at the thoughts from earlier flooded back into his mind. 

“I was thinking about Tubbo.” He admitted, almost like he was ashamed for doing so.

“The one that was caught by Schlatt?”

Tommy nodded his head in silent response. He’s not sure if he could handle this conversation without choking up. 

Techno hummed, and Tommy could see different thoughts flickering in the other man’s eyes. 

“He’s the one who freed you and Wilbur, right?” Techno asked, his voice laced with an emotion that Tommy couldn’t identify.

Tommy merely nodded again. 

“Well, it’d be a shame if he rotted away in prison,” Techno said bluntly, his voice portraying little emotion. It made Tommy flinch. “Why don’t we go get him?”

The last question caused Tommy to jolt. 

“‘ _Get him_ ’, as in rescue Tubbo from Schlatt?” Tommy questioned, skepticism in his tone.

“Well, yeah. Why not? He seemed to really make you happy.” Techno replied like it was the dumbest question he’s ever heard. An incredible feat considering that Techno has heard many, _many_ stupid questions throughout his lifetime.

“Because Wilbur would kill us if he found out!” Tommy yelled. The blonde wanted to go along with Techno’s plan so badly, but Wilbur had said no, and he doubted the older man would change his mind anytime soon. Not like he changed it the first hundred times he asked.

“Who says Wilbur has to find out? Toby--”

“Tubbo.” Tommy corrected.

“Tubbo is _your_ friend, not Wilbur’s. You shouldn’t be forced to leave him just because he said so.” Techno told him plainly, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. 

Tommy let out a small ‘huh’ as he considered what Techno said. The man wasn’t wrong, not by any means. 

The blonde’s gaze dropped to the floor as he thought about his options. Wilbur would most certainly skewer him if he found out, presuming that he wasn’t caught by Schlatt in the process. He’d be risking his life, but didn’t Tubbo do the same when he freed him and Wilbur?

After a few minutes of silence, Tommy nodded his head decisively, turning to Techno once more.

“Let’s go to rescue Tubbo,” Tommy said, determination blazing his blue eyes like a raging sea. 

“I’ll grab the horses.” Techno smiled. What he did for his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally supposed to include a whole second section, but I decided to just cut it and make it into a whole separate chapter.
> 
> Also, I apologize for such a long wait. My uploading schedule has been rather hectic for no other reason besides my own laziness. So whoops. :D
> 
> Anyhow, that festival, huh? It kind of put a dent in this fic, so we're operating in an alternate universe now!


	9. And It Hurts Like Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy finally finds Tubbo.

There was a wicked chill up in the air as Techno and Tommy rode under the dark veil of the night, the stars acting as their only guide. It was amplified by the wind blowing past the duo as their horses trotted to their destination.

The one good thing about Schlatt tearing down the walls of L’Manburg was that it was significantly easier to ride past the borders undetected, not that Schlatt had them well guarded anyway. 

Once past the border, Techno pulled the reins of his horse, causing it to come to a stop near a tree.

Hopping off his horse, Techno swiftly tied the reins to a low branch that dangled off the tree. Tommy looked at him inquisitively. 

“What are you doing?” He asked, voice no higher than a whisper. The border may have very few patrols, but the guards that were stationed there were powerful and decked in netherite infused armor. Not even Techno could take them if they all grouped up.

“I’m going to stay here and keep watch. You can go in and grab Tubbo.” Techno answered, barely sparing the boy a glance as he pulled out his ax and began scanning the horizon for potential threats. 

Tommy let out an ‘Ah’ of acknowledgment and hopped off his own steed, tying it up alongside Techno’s 

Tubbo was most likely in the White House with Schlatt, it’s where all the members of Schlatt’s cabinet stayed, and there was no way Tommy could quietly sneak in a horse.

With a sigh, he started his trek to the White House, taking care to stick close to the walls of buildings as he sneaked through L’Manburg’s decaying underbrush. 

The first thing Tommy noticed as he approached the White House was just how guarded it was. There seemed to be security protecting every square foot of the building despite the time at night. Schlatt must really want to keep people out. 

He huffed in frustration and started frantically looking for another way in. There simply weren't enough people in L’Manburg to secure the whole building, let alone competent people. 

As he looked around, he spotted it. His way in.

The White House’s gardens. 

The gardens, shockingly enough, were left completely unprotected. Tommy couldn’t see a single guard in sight. Well, Tommy couldn’t say he was  _ that  _ surprised. Schlatt never really cared for plants, or nature in general, really.

Nevertheless, Tommy trudged towards the gardens. 

* * *

Tubbo was feeling very content this fine night. 

The air was cool, the stars were flickering brightly, and the moon gracefully illuminated the sky. 

To make things even better, Schlatt was there with him, as he always was, idly rambling away about Manburg’s affairs. 

The pair were currently sitting side-by-side on an old wooden bench in the gardens behind the White House per Schlatt’s request. 

Well, it was more like Tubbo’s request now that he thought about it. He had previously commented on how pretty he thought the gardens were and Schlatt, being the wonderful man that he is, decided to take Tubbo there to hang about for a bit. 

“--And that’s why you have to know how to play them,” Schlatt concluded, glancing at his right-hand man to see if the boy was paying attention, only to see him staring up at the sky. 

“Tubbo! Are you listening?” Schlatt asked cooly. 

Tubbo blinked himself out of his thoughts. He really had to stop thinking, it hindered his ability to serve.

“Yes, Mr. President,” Tubbo replied, smiling at the other man. He hoped that Schlatt believed him, he hated disappointing the other.

The frown on Schlatt’s face, however, suggested otherwise. 

“Don’t lie to me, Tubbo. I don’t have to punish you do I?” Schlatt asked, grabbing the tie of the boy’s suit in one hand as if he were holding an unruly dog by the leash.

“N-No, Mr. President.” Tubbo whimpered. He always disliked Schlatt’s punishments, as those are the times that Schlatt would leave him alone. All by himself, with no one but his thoughts for company. It reminded him of the time spent in a cell. 

Schlatt hooked his thumb and index finger on his chin as if contemplating something. 

“I can forgive you for not listening, Tubbo, but to  _ lie _ to me?” Schlatt purred sweetly as he pushed Tubbo to the ground, a cloud of dirt swirling up into the air. “Now that’s something I--”

_ BZZT! _   


_ BZZT! _

Schlatt groaned in annoyance as he took out his buzzing communicator from his back pocket. 

“I need to go, Tubbs. Quackity needs me for something.” Schlatt told him as he started walking out of the garden. Tubbo shakily rose to his feet, preparing to follow when Schlatt suddenly stopped him. 

“You’re staying here, Tubbo. Consider  _ this  _ your punishment.” He said as he continued walking away. “Maybe this will teach you how to be a good boy.”

Tubbo could feel himself start shaking the second Schlatt left his line of sight. He wasn’t sure if he could live much longer without the older man. 

Although every inch of Tubbo’s being screamed at him to follow Schlatt, like a puppy to a master, his body wouldn’t move. Schlatt had ordered him to stay exactly where he was, and Tubbo couldn’t will himself against it. Ultimately, Schlatt practically owned every inch of him.

Tubbo would’ve started hyperventilating had he not gotten sidetracked with a rustling from a nearby bush.

The sticks and leaves of the bush parted, revealing no other than Tommy Innit. 

* * *

When Tommy spotted his opportunity to speak to Tubbo, he took it without hesitation. 

He rose up from the bush and took a step towards Tubbo, staring at the brunette with tears brimming in his eyes. 

Tubbo was alive! He was alive and looked to be unharmed. 

“Tubbo, you’re okay!” Tommy squealed as he walked towards Tubbo, arms wide open in a hug. 

Tommy didn’t even acknowledge the way Tubbo flinched as he drew him into a tight hug. Didn’t even acknowledge the grimace on his face, nor the way he tried prying Tommy’s arms off him. 

“You’re alive! You’re alive, you’re alive, you're--”  
Tommy was cut off by Tubbo shoving Tommy’s chest, hard. He promptly fell to the ground, the wind being knocked out of him.

“Tubbo?” He wheezed, staring up at his friend in confusion. Tubbo was never one to deny a hug, especially one from Tommy.

The first thing Tommy noticed about Tubbo was just how much he had changed in the past months. Gone was that rough and tumble boy Tommy had grown so fond of, in its place was something refined, something elegant, yet broken all the same. In a way, it reminded Tommy of porcelain. 

His eyes were the worst part. Never in his life had Tommy seen something so empty and dead, the only thing that came close in comparison was the ceramic eyes of Dream’s mask. 

“Tommy.” Tubbo greeted plainly, hardly bothering to spare Tommy so much as a glance. Instead, he kept his eyes trained at the path Schlatt walked down when he left, smiling all the while. It would’ve been convincing if it managed to reach his eyes. 

“Tubbo? Tubbo what’s wrong? Tell me and I’ll try to help in any way I can I swear!” Tommy choked out, he could feel hot tears building in his eyes. This Tubbo wasn’t the same person he knew all those months ago. He knew that Schlatt had done something to his friend, but he just didn’t know what. 

Tubbo stayed silent for a moment, continuing to stare down the trail. Aside from the neverending smile, the rest of his face betrayed no emotion. The only indication Tommy received was the other’s Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

“You left me.” Tubbo finally said, breaking the silence. The apathetic tone nearly made Tommy flinch, and the smile he said it with only made the statement all the eerier. 

“You left me to die, and that made me very sad.” Tubbo continued, “But then Schlatt showed up, and made me all better. I’m not sad anymore, Tommy.”

“Tubbo, I’m sorry! Wilbur said-”

“I can now do what I was always meant to do, Tommy.  _ Serve _ .” Tubbo interrupted, his voice painfully monotone and robotic. 

Tommy felt the tears start spilling down his cheeks in small rivers. He wished he had come sooner, wished he had just disobeyed Wilbur, but he couldn’t do anything about that now. He just had to make do with what he had, and try to put the pieces back together.

“That’s not true. You’re more than that Tubbo you’re- you’re my best friend, my brother!” Tommy’s voice trembled and wavered, “And I  _ miss  _ you, Tubbo, please!-”

Tommy was cut off by his own broken sob. His knees shook and he wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to hold himself up for. He frantically reached out in front of him, grabbing onto the sleeves of Tubbo’s suit and using it as support. 

“Tommy, why are you crying?” Tubbo questioned.

Tommy looked up at the question, only to see that Tubbo had now turned to face him. He could make out small teardrops on Tubbo’s face, sliding down slowly along his cheeks and into the divots in his  _ still  _ smiling lips. 

“I’m crying because I want you to come to Pogtopia, Tubbo. Come  _ home _ .” Tommy whimpered, loosening his grip on Tubbo’s sleeves as he shakily stood upright. 

Finally, that God-forsaken smile dropped from Tubbo’s face. Tommy saw a flicker of something in his eyes, something that was unmistakably  _ Tubbo _ .

“Tommy, I-” 

“Well, what do we have here!” A new voice called out, footsteps echoing along the path towards the White House.

_ Schlatt _ . 

The horned figure approached the two casually like it was just a normal stroll out in the park.

Schlatt clicked his tongue at the sight of Tommy. 

“If it ain’t loverboy’s lapdog!” Schlatt sneered, grabbing one of Tommy's arms and pushing him off Tubbo before he could react. “Did you come for Tubbo over here?” 

“Yes I did, now get out of the way, dickhead!” Tommy growled, steadying himself from the push. He unsheathed his sword from its hilt, brandishing it in front of him.

Schlatt hummed, unbothered by the weapon. 

“Really, you want this husk of a man?” Schlatt asked, grabbing Tubbo’s chin and turning the brunette’s head towards him. “Even if you did get him back, what then? I  _ own  _ him. He’s nothing without me. Isn’t that right Tubbo?”

“I’m nothing without you,” Tubbo repeated blankly without hesitation. The spark that Tommy saw in his eyes moments before died in an instant. Tommy could feel his heart shatter.

Righteous fury, hot and burning, ran through his veins like electricity. He hated Schlatt, hated him so much. He took away his home, took away his friends, took away his  _ family- _

_ No more.  _

Tommy’s fingers clenched the handle of his sword. He took a quick step towards Schlatt, using the added momentum in tandem with his muscles to sweep the sword across Schlatt’s chest. It had been easy, really. The man had nothing on but his suit, and his sword cut through it like butter.

Schlatt stumbled backward before promptly falling to the ground, laughing maniacally all the while. 

The laughter only fueled Tommy’s rage more. How dare this man has the audacity to laugh in the face of death? He planned to give Schlatt a painful death, one that made up for the suffering he put everyone through, for what he put  _ Tubbo  _ through.

Snarling, Tommy raised the sword high over Schlatt, who was clutching an arm over the wound across his chest, and prepared to bring it down, right over his heart and-

Tommy felt a sharp pain stab through his upper back, causing the sword to clatter to the ground as his hands scrambled to his backside.

He felt something warm and sticky run down his back and seep into his clothes. When he pulled his hand back, it was covered in blood.

_ Why was he bleeding?  _

Tommy turned around to Tubbo, who held a small, crimson-stained dagger in a trembling grip. The other’s lips were moving silently, mouthing a hysteric mantra that Tommy couldn’t hear.

Schlatt’s laughter echoed throughout Tommy’s ears. 

“Do you not teach your pets tricks, Tommy?” Schlatt chuckled, slowly raising himself up off the ground. Taking special care with his injury. 

“Fuck you.” Tommy spat. 

“I’m not the one bleeding out, my friend.” Schlatt smiled as he strolled over to Tubbo, lifting up a hand to the boy’s head and ruffling his hair. 

Like he was some _fucking dog._

Tommy growled and willed himself to get up, but he just couldn’t. That knife had done more damage than he thought. 

As his eyes started to droop, he wondered what death would be like. Would it hurt, or would it be gentle? He didn’t know, and frankly, he didn’t care too much. He just hoped that he would see Tubbo again soon. Maybe in some other life, where they could just be kids and not have to worry about the fate of a nation on their shoulders. 

Yeah, that sounded nice. 

Before he blacked out, Tommy could make out a familiar figure. One with strawberry blonde hair and a pale pink pig mask rushing towards him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter isn't well written by any means, but at least writing it was fun? 
> 
> I didn't preread this at all, so I'll probably go back to edit this later and fix some stuff I don't like. It's pretty late where I live so I'll fix this up tomorrow. If you're reading this before then, I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! :D


End file.
